LONDON: Old rifts resurfaced in Britain’s ruling Conservative Party on Saturday (Jun 10) following former prime minister Boris Johnson’s abrupt resignation from parliament, while the opposition Labour Party sensed opportunity ahead of a general election next year.
Johnson quit his 22-year political career late on Friday in protest against an investigation by lawmakers into his conduct as prime minister during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdown-breaking parties were held in Downing Street.
In his resignation statement, Johnson railed against the inquiry examining whether he misled the House of Commons about the gatherings. He also took aim at current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Conservative lawmakers loyal to Johnson, some of whom received political honours from him just hours before his resignation, praised his record in social media posts. The rest were silent.
“Well done Rishi for starting this nonsense!!” lawmaker Andrea Jenkyns wrote in a Conservative Party WhatsApp group, according to a screenshot shared by a Sky News reporter.
Jenkyns received the honorary title of Dame from Johnson on Friday, a power given to outgoing prime ministers.
His premiership was cut short in part by anger in his own party and across Britain over COVID rule-breaking lockdown parties in his Downing Street office and residence. Johnson said the investigating committee had not found “a shred of evidence” against him.
“Sunak supporters used resignations to drive Boris and his supporters from office,” veteran Conservative lawmaker John Redwood said on Saturday, referring to Sunak’s decision to quit Johnson’s administration last year.
“To avoid resignations from parliament the PM has to take the party in a direction more MPs want to go in and use more of its talent,” Redwood added.
Henry Hill, deputy editor of the Conservative Home website, said Johnson’s exit meant he was no longer a “prince-over-water” in parliament who threatened Sunak’s grip on the party.
“It will mean that any trouble made by his allies is much less potent,” Hill told BBC radio.
A YouGov poll published on Saturday showed 65 per cent of Britons thought Johnson knowingly misled parliament, compared with 17 per cent who did not.
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